Residents in Greene County and the surrounding rural communities will soon have expanded access to compassionate, personalized behavioral health care with the addition of Nancy Olson, a licensed master social worker (LMSW) at Greene County Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Clinic.
Olson brings with her decades of diverse experience in mental health care, from large urban systems to deeply rural communities, along with a passion for helping individuals navigate life’s most challenging moments. “I grew up in Los Angeles,” Olson shared. “I lived there about 40 years and then moved on. I just wanted to get out of California, the traffic and the craziness. It was just too many people.”
Her journey led her through Oregon, North Carolina and Washington state, and she worked in a variety of settings, including outpatient therapy, correctional facilities and the VA system. Along the way, she earned her degree in social work while continuing to see patients.
Now, Olson has chosen rural Iowa, specifically Rockwell City, as home. “I wanted something even smaller and it is perfect.” That appreciation for small-town life is something Olson believes will help her connect deeply with local patients.
Her experience working in rural areas has shaped her understanding of the unique challenges many Iowans face when it comes to mental health. She said there are a lot of people who have never reached out for help in the past. “But there are times when you just can’t figure things out on your own,” she explained. And as the times have changed, so too have the stigmas associated with mental health care. “It’s becoming commonly accepted to reach out for mental health support, and I think that is really a progressive step forward,” added Olson.
Olson will serve patients 14 and older, working with individuals across all stages of life, from teenagers who are navigating identity and peer challenges to older adults coping with loss, health changes or life transitions. Her clinical approach includes evidence-based methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and solution-focused therapy. However, these are always grounded in one core principle: the individual. “My focus is person-centered,” Olson went on to explain. “I may not have the answers, but I am here to help that person find them. And, oftentimes, the answer has been within the individual all along.”
Above all, Olson wants patients to know they will be heard, respected and supported. “I’ll focus on what problems they may need to solve. They may come in the door with issues of depression or issues of anxiety, and my role is really listening, providing them a safe place and helping them find hope.”
Working in the medical center setting was also a major draw for Olson, who values the connection between physical and mental health. “When someone is coming in for depression, I do ask them when they last saw their doctor,” she said. “Those two just get so closely intertwined. For instance, you have somebody who has had cancer. You push through it, but there’s still some trauma from going through that whole process that really can affect you mentally.” She is excited to join the Greene County Medical Center healthcare team and wants those who may be reaching out for the first time to know they are not alone anymore.
Olson received a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of La Verne in La Verne, CA, and a master’s in social work from Walla Walla University in College Place, WA, and is a member of the National Association of Professional Social Workers. She will begin seeing patients in April. Persons who want to make an appointment with Olson can call Greene County Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Clinic at 515-386-2488.
